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The Lost Art of Being Friendly!

7/13/2014

12 Comments

 
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Who remembers when the world was a friendly place? A time when you spoke to each person that you meet. A time when you took the time to just smile and chat with a total stranger. Oh, those were truly the " good ole days"! Yesterday, I got to enjoy such a day! It was so amazing and you would not believe how great it made me feel.

The day began just as any other. I wrote my blog for my challenge and I made a few Facebook posts. I really needed to go to the grocery store and the Farmers Market but I felt that I would just go ahead and get everything at one location. I hurried into the store and started gathering my groceries. I am usually friendly but no one usually pays me any attention. Not today! I saw the cutest little elderly man and I smiled. He smiled and patted my arm as I walked by! He acted like he knew me and had not seen me in a long while. I said " Good Morning and How are you Today?" . Wow! That was all it took! He and I talked through the entire store. Before I knew it, we each knew where each one was from. We knew where we each went to church. We knew each other's name. I now know James. I even know where his wife is from and that his favorite niece is named Cindy, just like me. Before James left with his groceries, he wanted to know if he could give me a hug! He said that I was the friendliest, happiest person that he had ever met! Well, that just made my heart sing!!!!

After James had left and I continued with my shopping, I had another man asking me how to pick out a good watermelon. I had no problem answering his questions. As a matter of fact, I had just posted how to do that on my Facebook that very morning. I just whooped out my handy dandy phone and showed him. We ran into each other a few more times and we would discuss our selections and joke about how we were following each other. I do not know why I was getting so much interaction on this day. Maybe, I was smiling extra big or maybe I was the one being a bit more friendly.

Even at the checkout counter, I had a young man and his daughter waiting behind me in line. They wanted to know if they could help me lift my 3 cases of water onto the counter. (There was a sale!) I told them " Thank you for offering but I believe the cashier has the codes." We continued to talk while we waited for our turn. They have an 85 lb. dog! His daughter gets told about her beautiful eyes all of the time! He is worrying about some dog hair on his shirt and that his own hair falls out into his baseball cap. I said that my hair was shedding, too! I told them not as bad as when I had chemo and laughed. He said that he doesn't know how bad that would be and I told him that it was not "all" bad because when you are bald headed that nothing feels better than getting to scrub your scalp with a washcloth! We laughed some more!

This wave of friendliness continued with the cashier and the baggage clerk. Everyone just seemed so genuinely friendly. It reminded me of days gone by. It reminded me that we each need to take the time to be kind and friendly. It really takes so little effort and it brings so many smiles. How about you? Are you friendly?







12 Comments
Kathy Widenhouse link
7/13/2014 12:51:50 am

It takes so little to be friendly and kind, but it means so much. You pointed out a true need in the world around us -- people long for personal interaction.

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Cindy Ackley link
7/13/2014 01:01:13 am

Thank you, Kathy! I agree with you. Sometimes we are so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget this basic natural mood enhancer! Let us be the change back to what is good!

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Trish link
7/13/2014 12:52:15 am

I absolutely love this blog post! I am a friendly person and like chatting with people that I meet. I especially loved reading about your grocery store friend James. I bet your friendliness brightened his day!

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Cindy Ackley link
7/13/2014 01:06:39 am

Trish, Thank you for your response and for being a fellow friendly person! I must tell you that James really brightened my day, too! I love people and I love life. I wish everyone would just be friendly and perhaps we could finally have world peace. What an idea! Let's do it! Have a beautiful, friendly fay!

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Judy - Pedagogical Artist link
7/13/2014 02:51:29 am

How delightful, Cindy and refreshing! I know how you feel. Friendly people make your day. I don't normally do this, but you might enjoy reading my post from a couple of days ago, which relates to this issue. It describes a game I play ...to validate people. Thanks for the smile and the reminder that there are friendly people. Most, I would say are simply shy ... HUGS <3

http://www.cutthecrapsolutions.com/#!The-BEST-gift-you-can-give-a-stranger-or-even-someone-you-know-and-YIKES-it-can-be-contagious-/clxq/EE67BC04-AF90-4E05-B657-AD1830881660

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Cindy Ackley link
7/13/2014 03:12:44 am

Thank you, Judy! I love positive feedback, whether it is on my blogs or in person! I do usually say "Good Morning" or " Hello, how are you today?" Many, many times per day. I wave and smile at people that I pass on the street. However, on this day, I really seemed to get more friendly responses! Perhaps if we all worked on being a little more friendly, we would start an epidemic! Wouldn't that be awesome!

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Julie Jordan Scott link
7/13/2014 07:57:28 am

I am crazy friendly, like over the top ridiculous like can anyone possibly be anyone more friendly? I don't know many strangers. I usually get people to be friendly, too. :-) Glad I found your post, fellow friendly person, Cindy!

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Cindy Ackley link
7/13/2014 09:11:00 am

Julie, Thank you for being a fellow over the top friendly person. I believe that we can and will change this world into a much happier place by spreading this friendliness stuff all around. We will just keep on being friendly and caring and kind. I know that we need as many participants as we can get. Let's make it global!

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Kimberley link
7/13/2014 09:23:42 am

This is such a good topic. Yes friendliness is something that has definitely been lost. I still smile and say hi when I walk pass people but I don't always get a response. People are definitely not as friendly as they used to be.

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Cindy Ackley link
7/13/2014 10:08:48 am

Kimberley, Thank you for smiling and saying hi to people! It is these simple human acts of kindness that are needed. I believe that we can take this to a whole new level and teach the world that just being friendly can and will make the world a better place! I love friendly people!

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LilyLeung link
7/13/2014 11:38:00 am

Nice one, Cindy! I had a similar incidence last week at the grocery store - visiting with strangers in the lineup. It made me so happy and reminded me that we don't really talk with people that much any more. It reminded me that I could correct that myself by initiating.

Lily

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Cindy Ackley link
7/13/2014 12:07:53 pm

Lily, isn't it an awesome feeling to connect with perfect strangers with something as simple as a friendly conversation? Just imagine a world full of friendly, happy people. There would be smiles from here to eternity! Let's keep doing our part and encourage everyone to join us!

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    Hi! My name is Cindy Ackley. I have created this blog about enjoying the beauty of life and being as healthy and happy as we can be. I am a lung cancer survivor and I have discovered that beauty is everywhere. It is seen in nature and it is felt with our laughter. The beauty of life can be enjoyed with our healthy choices. I love helping people see the beauty.

    I also had gained close to 40 lbs. with my chemo treatments. I sure did not feel  very beautiful or healthy. I discovered Skinny Fiber and have since lost about 51 lbs. I feel amazing. I learned to eat healthier and to drink water instead of Diet Pepsi!

    I want to share everything that I have learned on my journey with you.

    If you are struggling with weight issues, please join me at my free weight loss group @ http://www.facebook.com/groups/positivelyskinnyandhealthy



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